Porsche works team fields two 911 RSR in 2013

For the 2013 racing season, Porsche AG will field two new GT racecars based on the newest generation of the Porsche 911 at the Le Mans 24 hour race and in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). For the first time since the overall victory in 1998, a factory team from Porsche will tackle the famed long distance classic in France.

The two new Porsche 911 RSR, which race in the GTE category, will be run by the Porsche AG Team Manthey. The role of team manager goes to the experienced endurance specialist Olaf Manthey, who has celebrated five overall wins with Porsche at the Nürburgring 24 hour race and recently fielded a 911 GT3 RSR in the International GT Open.

“The new 911 RSR is currently being developed by our engineers and tested by our works drivers,” says Porsche Head of Motorsport, Hartmut Kristen. “What better time could there be to introduce the new car than the Porsche 911’s 50th anniversary.”

12 thoughts on“Porsche works team fields two 911 RSR in 2013”

So that’s why they won’t support Flying Lizard — too busy riding in the WEC? What a pity. Especially since it’ll be two more years before the WEC can cope with the ALMS, and only because the latter will happily and noisily commit suicide. What a f*cked up world :(

Not sure i get your point Martin, this is the development year for the 991 so its no surprise Porsche AG want to run them themselves with the help of Manthey, lets not forget that Manthey ran 2 997 RSR’s for Porsche AG back in 2006 before anyone else got them in 2007.

@matt e:
Yes, 2013 is a development year for the new 911, this is just the point for the works entry. In 2014 the new 911 will be run by private teams.
And @Martin:
Sure the WEC is the right place for the development of the new car, because of the longer races, the better variety of tracks, the better worldwide public attendance AND the better competition – there will be two AF Corse Ferrari and two Aston Martin, which will not be easy to beat. What more competition to ask for?

Terrific,only way to save ALMS & not so Grand Am.is staying close to LeMans group. Looking forward to all the neat mew Teams in sportcars this year. Bentley, AUDI, Mercedes, Morgan and perhaps a 12 cyl.ferrari in 2014. Save the MIAMI Marine Stadium and old palm beach.

@Bamba:
The Porsche policy is to develop the new 911 next year “in public”, but with a “neutral” team, which is Manthey, to avoid discussions about prefering one team. This way they hope to not only get back the old customers like Flying Lizards and Felbermayr, but also sell the new GTE and GT3 911 to new customers currently running other brands in 2014.
For LMP1, 2013 will see only testing, 2014 there will be a factory team and in 2015 the prototype will be available in a LMP1 and probably also an LMP2 version for other teams.